


A Day in the Life of Eleven

by StarGazer33



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Birthday Party
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-29
Updated: 2019-06-29
Packaged: 2020-05-28 19:18:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19400680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarGazer33/pseuds/StarGazer33
Summary: Eleven gets a surprise birthday party thrown by Hopper, Mike and Max. It makes her happy to know she has such loving people in her life, but she is also reminded of her upbringing and the reason why this is her first birthday party.





	A Day in the Life of Eleven

Eleven was finally content with her life. She had friends who made her laugh hysterically, a father who would do anything to keep her safe, and perhaps most importantly, a place to call home — and not the lab, or her Aunt Becky’s house, or Kali’s hideout. Hawkins was where she was meant to stay. 

Max had recently suggested they go to Mike’s house, which slightly confused Eleven but she complied nonetheless. As they approached the Wheeler’s front door, it opened, revealing Nancy in the doorway.

“Hey, come on in,” she said brightly.

“Do you know where Mike is?” Max asked. 

“He’s not home right now, actually. He should be back soon. You guys can hang out upstairs if you want though,” Nancy offered. 

“Alright. Come on, El.” Max led her upstairs to Mike’s room. Something about “hanging out” in Mike’s room without him seemed a little odd. But Eleven dismissed this in her mind and plopped herself on Mike’s bed.

“She didn’t say where he is,” she stated, her eyes on Max.

“He’s probably downtown getting fireworks. I mean, half of Hawkins is right now, so…” Max hesitated before adding, “Hang on, I’ll be right back.” She dashed downstairs.

Eleven couldn’t help but feel as if there was something strange going on — something Max wasn’t telling her.

Max came back upstairs, followed by Mike. “Hey.” He gave her a quick kiss and then grabbed her hand. “C’mon, I need to show you something.” His grin plus Max’s obvious excitement perplexed her.

“Okay…” She stood and followed Mike and Max downstairs to the basement door. “Guys, what’s going — ”

Max opened the door, and for a moment, Eleven just stared into the darkness below. But then, all at once, the lights came on, several familiar faces jumped out of their hiding spots, and they shouted in unison,

“Happy birthday!”

Eleven screamed and one by one recognized the familiar faces who were all looking up at her, laughing. There was Hopper carrying a cake, Will, Lucas and Dustin. After regaining her breath, she started laughing with them.

She descended the stairs and went over to Hopper. “Happy birthday kid,” he said, wearing his proud smirk. Eleven glanced at what he was holding — it wasn’t a cake as she thought it was. It was one of Hopper’s triple-decker eggo extravaganzas. This one was garnished with reese’s pieces, chocolate chips and nougat chunks — Dustin’s contribution, undoubtedly — and had fourteen lit candles sticking out of it.

“Make a wish,” Mike said, appearing by Eleven’s side. This was all so overwhelming for her, mainly because she had never celebrated anyone’s birthday, let alone her own. But she closed her eyes and made a wish before blowing out all the candles.

“Okay, now let’s party!” Max yelled.

* * * * *

Eleven sat between Mike and Max on the couch, observing the decorations — the balloons in the corners and the garland that draped from wall to wall with letters hanging from it that spelled “Happy Birthday.”

“So… I was born on this day fourteen years ago?” Eleven asked Hopper, who was sitting in a recliner nearby. The four of them were the only ones still there.

Hopper nodded. “June 28th, 1971.”

“Our birthdays are only five days apart,” Max informed her.

As heartwarming as it was to know there were people who would throw a surprise birthday party for her, it also reminded her of her unorthodox origin and upbringing, and the woman who brought her into the world — her mother. Kali was wrong about many things, but she was right when she said the bad men took her mother from her. They really did take everything from her. 

“Hey, you okay?” Mike asked.

“Yeah, I’m just…”

“Thinking?” Hopper finished.

“Yeah.”

“Well, we should probably head home,” Hopper said, standing up. “It’s getting late.”

Eleven and Mike exchanged a goodbye and a kiss before Eleven followed Hopper up the stairs. She paused at the top step and turned around, looking at the decorations again, Mike as he picked up trash, and finally the plate that was for the triple-decker eggo extravaganza that now only had a few crumbs and fourteen candles on it. The sight of it made her remember her wish.

She wished for nothing bad to happen to Hopper or any of her friends — for them to live without forces from the Upside Down threatening to invade Hawkins. She wished they could live in peace, because she wanted nothing more.


End file.
